


rollover in time

by santanico



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: F/F, Guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-27
Updated: 2013-06-27
Packaged: 2017-12-16 09:19:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/860501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/santanico/pseuds/santanico
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beth teaches Alison how to shoot a gun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	rollover in time

**Author's Note:**

> I used this website for information on properly shooting a gun. I mostly attempted to paraphrase but yes, some of the phrasing is extremely close to what was printed or exactly the same. I wanted to be as accurate as possible and this was a good website that described the steps while also showing pictures; others just gave rather unhelpful videos.
> 
> http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/08/31/how-to-fire-a-handgun-safely-and-correctly/

“There’s no one here.”

Beth snorts. “Of course there’s no one here. I wouldn’t bring you to a shooting range full of other people.”

Alison licks her lips. “No need to be rude…”

But Beth is smiling. She hands Alison a pair of ear mufflers – they’re mostly pink. Alison blinks and takes the mufflers, but continues to stand awkwardly, unsure what to do with them.

“Just put ‘em around your neck for now. We won’t be shooting for a while.”

Alison sighs and rolls her eyes. Beth gives her a sharp, impatient look.

“Sorry.”

“Me too.”

They’re both quiet for a moment, and Alison leans against the wall. It’s an indoor range, and both Alison and Beth are crammed into a small cubicle. There is a man-shaped target on the other side of the large room, and just looking at it, Alison has no clue how a person could possibly make a headshot or a chest shot. It looks daunting. She folds her arms as Beth picks her bag up from the floor and starts rummaging through.

“This isn’t exactly legal,” Beth muses as she pulls a pistol out, and then the case of ammo. She shakes her head, hair almost falling from the messy bun she’s put up. “But nothing I’ve been doing recently has been very legal. And you have to be able to protect yourself.” Beth looks up suddenly, making direct eye contact. “You know that anyone could hurt you.”

Alison gnaws at her bottom lip and looks away. Staring at Beth is always – it never quite makes sense. She tries not to make eye contact because those eyes are the exact same color as her own. She’s seen that face in the mirror so many times, but when she looks at Beth, Beth doesn’t look like her.

“I know.”

“Alright. Well, while I’m sure you know the basics…I’m gonna tell you anyway. Always treat the gun like it was loaded. Even if you know, for a fact, that there’s nothing in it. It’s not worth it to hurt someone you care about in a moment of carelessness. Or yourself. Got it?”

Alison nods.

“Second rule – unless you’re in immediate danger, always point the gun in a direction that is safest. Obviously, you don’t want to damage your own property, or one of your kids.”

Alison takes in a deep breath. Beth, of course, is right.

“Right.”

“Right, so, third rule – pay attention. Always keep your finger off the trigger. Unless, of course, you’ve made the decision to shoot. Until you’re absolutely sure. If it’s a dire situation, you’ll know. But you want to be careful, and you don’t want to really shoot anyone before you’re sure, even if you’re pointing a gun at them. Okay?”

“Yeah, got it.”

“Hey.” Beth pauses for a moment and Alison notices the careful way in which Beth has placed the gun, facing away from them both and towards the barrier between the table and the rest of the range. Beth touches Alison’s face, just the brush of fingers, and Alison jumps. They stare at each other for a moment and Alison relaxes, Beth’s hand fully cupping her cheek. “It’s alright. Perfectly fine to be nervous. I was my first time.”

“When was your first time?”

“When I was a kid. My dad and I used to go camping, and they had a shooting range there. Mostly just BB guns, but they had rifles too. First time I shot a rifle – it was exhilarating. Terrifying, too. Rips through the soda cans, you know? The power, right there, on the tips of your fingers…” Beth’s hand is still rested on Alison’s face, and then she pulls it away like she’s been touched by fire. Alison hates the feeling of longing – she already misses the warmth of the contact. “Made him take me to a real shooting range on my seventeenth birthday, he taught me how to shoot a shotgun, and a pistol. Glad I can protect you, now.”

“Well, thank you.”

“No problem. Got ahead of myself. Last rule – always be aware of where you’re shooting. This shouldn’t be too big of a deal right now, ‘cuz we’re at a range and there’s…no one else here.” Beth laughs and there’s a nervous ring to it. “But, you know, pay attention. Should be obvious. Those are the four most important rules.”

“Alright, got it. Gun’s always loaded, aim safely, finger off the trigger, pay attention.”

“In a nutshell.”

Beth picks up the empty pistol and steps closer to Alison, edging on the bubble of her personal space. Alison relaxes her arms and loosens her shoulders, and Beth notices the signal and steps in closer. “Which hands if your dominant?”

“Right.”

“Alright, so that’s your gun hand. You wanna…grip the gun high, on the back strap – yeah, like that, the back of the grip of the gun. It’ll help control your recoil, keep from hurting yourself. Good.”

Alison keeps her hand tight but not vice grip tight. Beth’s hand is over hers, mimicking the position, and it feels safe. 

“Now, take your left hand – that’s your support hand – and press it against the exposed part of the grip that’s not covered.” Beth pauses, eyes trained on Alison’s hands as she guides her palm into position. “Very good. Your hands fit together perfectly. Both of your thumbs are pointing forward. Good.”

Alison takes a deep breath, steadying herself. She ate lunch and had a bottle of water earlier, so she shouldn’t be shaking. Still – she is. She can’t tell if it’s from the proximity, of Beth being so close to her, or from the pressure of holding a gun.

Beth carefully slides behind her, one hand still on Alison’s hands, the other resting gently on the small of her back. “Relax, Alison. You’re quivering like an excited puppy.”

Alison licks her lips. 

“There’s nothing in the gun. Just pay attention to me.”

“Okay.”

“Move your feet and hips shoulder width apart.” Beth pauses and Alison shuffles. “You’re so stiff. Bend your knees a little and loosen up.” Beth presses the palm of her hand against Alison’s back gently. “There you go. You got this.”

Alison takes a deep breath. It’s hard to believe that just yesterday, Beth had been sitting in her kitchen crying her eyes out, begging Alison to stop her from taking the pills.

Alison, of course, had confiscated the pills and then told Beth to get out of her house.

Beth had called her later that night and calmly explained that she needed to teach Alison how to shoot a gun. Cosima already knew how, but since Beth was the police officer expert, it was important for Alison to know as well. Alison had agreed, despite every nerve in her body telling her that Beth wasn’t okay.

Today, Beth’s breath doesn’t smell like alcohol, and her hands don’t shake at all.

“Do you know your dominant eye?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Alison breathes, still taking deep breaths. “My right, like my hand.” She remembers being taught how to differentiate when she was twelve.

“Mine too,” Beth whispers, and Alison realizes that maybe they’re all the same in that way. All right handed, all right eyed. She shivers. “There are two sights on your gun,” Beth murmurs, “the front and the rear sight notch. You want to align the two, when you’re aiming. Do you see what I mean?”

Alison takes a moment and focuses her right eye on the sights. Her hands are still shaking, and the gun is moving.

“Goddammit.”

“Alison?”

She lowers the gun. “Just – give me a minute.”

“Let me take it.” Alison doesn’t argue, and Beth slowly removes the gun from Alison’s hands, placing the empty weapon back on the table. “It’s okay, Alison. It’s okay to be nervous.”

“Just shut up, would you? I’m not the addict here.”

Beth licks her lips but doesn’t blink. “Is that all you think of me? An addict?”

“I’m sorry, that’s not…I just…that’s not what I meant.”

“I know,” Beth murmurs. “You’re lucky, you know.”

Alison doesn’t say anything.

“A family, a nice neighborhood. I’m afraid of you losing that. That’s why I want to teach you. I want you to be able to – and I want you to be able to help…whoever else you meet. We’re not the only ones. If there are this many so close, I mean…” Beth trails off and Alison watches the stinging in her eyes.

She’s beautiful. Not in the same way that Alison thinks of herself – it’s completely different. Beth’s hair is a complete mess, and she doesn’t flatiron it like Alison does. It’s long and all over the place, and Alison wears pantyhose and black heels to work, has a boyfriend who makes her nervous.

“You want to protect us. I get it.”

Beth shakes her head. “It’s more than that. You’re important. I don’t think you know how important you are, Alison.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You’re married. You’ve got…a family. You’ve got so much ahead of you. You could still do anything, you could be free.”

“Yeah, right.” Alison snorts. “At this point I don’t really believe in freedom.”

Beth smiles but her eyes are still stinging with tears. “I’ll teach you again, some other day, alright? Tomorrow. We’ll come back here and try again. I’m sorry if I spooked you. I’m sorry that you’re – I’m sorry that you have to deal with this.”

Alison lets out a breath. “You have to deal with it, too,” she manages, “so, I’m sorry for that. And thank you.”

“Thank you.”


End file.
